About Us
Providing opportunities for those we support, our colleagues and our communities to fulfil their potential
Celebrating 35 years
SHC celebrated its 35-year anniversary in 2020 and is the largest provider of residential services in Sussex.
With nearly 600 employees, SHC provides specialist care for individuals with a range of personalised care packages, promoting person-centred care and support. With a head office near Horsham, West Sussex, the company also has an onsite training academy to support its staff by providing more than 9,500 courses a year.
More than just a home
Good health is much more than just the absence of illness. We recognise that leisure, social and recreational activities are essential to a person’s overall good health and sense of well-being. Good health is also enhanced by a sense of community, not just in our homes, but around them as well.
Every home provides a full programme of activities to stimulate, motivate and interest the individual, encouraging them to use their capabilities to the fullest extent. Activities are selected by individuals, based on their previous interests as well as their current abilities. Participation and initiative are encouraged, old skills and interests are recalled and new ones are learned.
SHC offers a range of individualised care packages promoting personalised care and support. Additional services include respite care, sensory rooms, hydrotherapy pools and spas, activities, transport, physiotherapy and several holistic therapies.
Our vision
Our vision is of a society where each person, regardless of age or ability, is given the opportunity to live their life, their way.
Our mission
To deliver best practice by listening, acting and operating in an effective, innovative and evolving way, providing opportunities for those we support, our colleagues and our communities to fulfil their potential.
Our history
Through the years
The organisation was founded on the principle of providing the very best in care and support, and that remains the case today. Established in 1985, with the acquisition of Clemsfold House, a home providing residential care for older people, SHC has expanded and developed its service provision, adding a further 7 homes between 1985 and 1995, and then focussing on building purpose-built facilities of exceptional and unrivalled standards.
Present day
Today, we are one of the largest providers of residential and nursing care in Sussex, offering specialist care for individuals and a range of care packages that promote personalised care and support for people with complex learning disabilities, acquired brain injury, those with autism and older people with long term conditions such as dementia. We employ nearly 600 people who live locally or in our purpose-built staff accommodation.
My partner has always been very well looked after and his needs always come first. The staff are always very attentive and nothing is ever too much for them.
Partner of resident at Woodhurst Lodge, March 2020Your life, your way
Our daughter has been living at Wisteria Lodge since 2013. She has severe cerebral palsy and epilepsy, requires gastrostomy feeding, a high level of care and constant monitoring. The staff are devoted to the residents and make every effort to enable them to live a varied and fulfilled life within their capabilities. Regular physiotherapy, including swimming, is available, as well as alternative therapies. The location and environment is of the highest standard available. We wouldn't want her to be anywhere else.
Mother of resident at Wisteria Lodge, October 2019Your life, your way
Two visits post lockdown in the garden. Well organised, staff attentive, Mum even had her sunglasses on. Being her birthday, staff came out to celebrate with cake and candles and took photos which I received. Very caring towards Mum who responded positively to all the attention. Thank you for making
Daughter of resident at Forest Lodge, August 2020
it a special occasion for her.Your life, your way
Memberships
Our vision is a society where everyone can enjoy the same rights and opportunities.
Professor Gerry Simon set up BILD in 1971 because he was convinced there could be better support in the community for people with disabilities. We have been championing the human rights of people with disabilities ever since.
We work to develop the skills and culture necessary to understand people’s needs and improve their quality of life. Our approach applies a rigorous evidence base, broad expertise and long-standing experience to find and enable both short and long-term solutions that bring about
National Care Association remains the most established, respected and largest of the trade bodies due to our strong ethos of putting members at the heart of all that we do
NCA is a supportive hub for care providers with access to recruit safely (using our DBS service), support and advice from experts, up to date personalised toolkits, information on key developments nationally and locally through national and local conferences and seminars. Additionally, there is access to discounts on products and services and much more…
Being part of NCA brings peace of mind when needed the most: our members know that we will help, advice and support them through thick and thin.
Care England, a registered charity, is the leading representative body for independent care services in England.
Working on behalf of small, medium and large providers, Care England speaks with a single unified voice for both members and the whole care sector. Our membership includes organisations of varying types and sizes, amongst them single care homes, small local groups, national providers and not-for-profit voluntary organisations and associations. Between them they provide a variety of services for older people and those with long term conditions, learning disabilities or mental health problems.
Care England is committed to supporting a united, quality conscious, independent sector that offers real choice and value for money. Our aim is to create an environment in which care providers can continue to deliver and develop the high quality care that communities require and deserve.
Our aim at NAPA is to ensure that every care and support setting is full of life, love and laughter.
We value the uniqueness of every person and their right to a meaningful conversation every day, the right to person-centred meaningful engagement with choice and control over how they spend their time, and activity provision which is respectful, creative, innovative and fun supported by skilled staff.
We will aspire to meet our aims through being an effective training, assessment and qualification awarding body, having robust finances enabling us to maintain our services and develop new ones, building partnerships with like-minded organisations, and setting the standard in training and leadership for activity provision.
Careers and training
An enthusiastic and motivated workforce is crucial to delivering the standards we set ourselves. In addition, external factors such as new legislation and clinical advances, as well as rising aspirations, present constant new challenges.
This is why SHC places such emphasis, effort and financial support on the training and career progression of staff. Through supervision and appraisal, the training needs of staff members are met, and the employee is given the support to progress within the company. As well as offering fantastic training and career progression, SHC also provides subsidised meals, increased Holiday allowance with length of service, subsidised staff accommodation, free uniforms, and a free staff bus service.
Don’t just take our word for it, find out from our SHC employees:
Diana Bican, Care Home Manager of Kingsmead Care Centre:
“I have worked for SHC for almost five years. In 2014 I started as a Registered Nurse for SHC and I knew in that moment that this would change my life completely.
When I started working at Kingsmead Care Centre, I realised that I really wanted to progress my career within the organisation. SHC has provided me with all the support and encouragement that I have needed to further my ambition.
My goal was accomplished in 2018 when I took on the role as Care Home Manager for Kingsmead Care Centre. After my own journey at SHC I would encourage anyone to go for it!”
Danielle Garside, HR Administrator:
“I joined SHC in 2018 as a Business Administration Apprentice, working in the Learning and Development Team. Upon completion of my apprenticeship, I was given the amazing opportunity to join the HR department as an HR Administrator. I’m really enjoying the new challenges this role offers and I’m very excited to progress further in this field.”
The training programme takes place within the framework of an annually revised plan that ensures the organisation is able to meet the challenges of a fast-changing sector to grow and develop in a new direction of care.
With the support of SHC’s Boldings Brook Training Academy, our teams work closely with consultants and specialist teams such as the National Hospital for Neurology in Queens Square, The Royal Hospital for Neurological Disorders and Guys and St Thomas hospitals. These close links enable staff teams to provide a unique understanding to the people we support with neurological conditions or acquired brain injury.
Want to work at SHC? Visit our careers page today.We are extremely happy with the one-to-one care that our son receives. He is always happy and looks well turned out. The home is well run and the staff are friendly and approachable.
Mother of resident at Beechcroft Care Centre, East GrinsteadYour life, your way
Accepted my now 93-year-old father into Upper Mead just before lockdown in march. He wasn't really looking after himself properly and felt it was the best place for him for the time being. The staff has turned dad around finding him much healthier and mobile now, he’s loving the entertainment and stimulation.
Daughter of resident at Upper Mead, November 2020
He loves the care and the way everyone looks after the people in the care home. I've always found the staff extremely caring, never anything too much trouble in these very difficult times. In August dad decided to stay as he loved it so much, that says it all.Your life, your way
My son has been resident at Beech Lodge for many years. The fabric of the house could do with some attention but my overwhelming impression is the dedication and commitment of the staff. There is a family feel and I regard Beech Lodge very much as my son's home. At the times he has been ill and in hospital it feels as if the whole community misses him and looks forward to his return.
Mother of resident at Beech Lodge, May 2020
There has been a number of changes of manager and staff over that time, but there is a core of committed, reliable nurses, carers, activities, admin and ancillary staff.Your life, your way